The Sum of Her Parts

by IsabellaAmoreSirenix

Contract an Expanding Heart

It seemed to Celestia that wonder and awe were just innate reactions to the Tree of Harmony. Even though the two alicorns had witnessed Elysium in all its glory, the tree still managed to leave them breathless. Their steps were slow and hesitant, though their hearts wished to admire from a safe distance. As they came closer, its radiant blue light washed over them; a light that was not sunlight or moonlight, but a cosmic force all to its own.

When they reached the base of the tree, even the two majestic alicorns were dwarfed by its grandeur. Celestia glanced out of the corner of her eye at Luna, who nodded in solemn reassurance. Then together they knelt in front of the tree, looking for all the world like little children, like the little child who had summoned them to this land.

Celestia looked up at the trunk, where her and Luna’s cutie marks were imprinted. She knew that the image of a chaotic thunderstorm was on the other side, unseen but still present, a comforting reminder. Perhaps she could have drawn on that thought for moral support if her thoughts were not plagued with worry.

We were never instructed to contact them, she brooded, but isn’t it also wise to seek guidance? Could we be sent back anyway? Will they be angry with us or think we failed?

A perturbed inner voice spoke up. Anger from those emotionless onlookers? No. Belief in failure for trying to follow their instructions? Absolutely.

Celestia’s disquiet softened when she felt Luna gently brush her hoof against hers. Little Luna, the second through the Gates but the first in Celestia’s heart.

I’ll protect her, the elder sister vowed. No matter what it takes, I’ll make sure she never sees another war.

Closing her eyes, Celestia summoned the courage to light her horn with a white arcane glow that would carry her words across the Eternal Sea. Then she spoke in a clear, full voice:

“Guardians of the sacred land of Elysium,” she invoked in High Accordis, the language of Elysium, “hear the cries of your children. You sent us to the mortal plane to bring order, which we have accomplished with all the power invested in us. Now we seek your guidance to save this world with which we have been entrusted. Answer us, we plead, and bring us out of the darkness that is ignorance and into the saving light that is Order’s glory.”

At once, the light from Celestia’s horn was snuffed out just as another sprang to life from the six-pointed star in the center of the tree. The young alicorns cried out, shielding their eyes.

“Sister, what’s happening?” Luna screamed.

“I… I don’t know, Luna!” Celestia felt like her heart would tear itself from her chest in its desperation to escape. She braced herself, expecting at any moment the unyielding pull of a teleportation spell to Elysium, or worse still, an incantation pushing down on her neck like a knife severing her head.

A strange dryness shriveled up her throat and eyes. She couldn’t scream, couldn’t cry. The roaring sound of blood pumping through her ears counted down the seconds. She thought she would faint. She didn’t know which would kill her first, her imagined executioners or her own fear.

“Don’t be afraid, my little ponies.”

Suddenly, the harsh white light retreated, leaving them in the presence of another alicorn. She stood slightly taller than the sisters, though her stature did not bring the impression of regality. Her coat was a simple olive green, accentuated by her vibrant orange mane. It did not blow in an ethereal breeze; rather, it fell in voluminous waves to her hooves, as if drawn to the earth beneath her. When she spread her wings, there was the sound of rustling leaves, accompanied by a rich, earthy fragrance. With her wings open, the sisters could catch glimpse of a red lotus cutie mark, the same color as her eyes, glowing unnaturally bright in the dimness.

“Don’t be afraid,” she said again in a warm, surprisingly maternal voice. “I am Sybilla, the Spirit of Fair and Just Prophecy.”

“Sybilla?” Celestia breathed. She’s of a really high order! Ah, we really messed up this time!

Luna whimpered as she held Celestia’s leg. “Sister, I’m scared. W-why is she fuzzy?” She pointed to the strange, blurry glow around Sybilla.

“I don’t know, Luna,” Celestia whispered in reply. “Er… Sybilla, if I may ask…”

“What you are seeing is merely a projection of my consciousness,” Sybilla explained patiently. “I myself am not truly here. To do that would be to open the Gates and allow another chaotic monstrosity to enter the mortal plane. But still, little one, your fear is unfounded. I bring no ill will towards you, nor does Elysium.”

Celestia was ready to pass out in relief at those words. “S-So we did the right thing by summoning you here? We’re not going to be thrown in a dungeon or banished?”

“Of course not, my little pony! Where on earth would you get such an idea? You two acted with great courage and prudence by asking for help. Those with self-centered hearts would doom their world for the sake of their own pride. You have shown your willingness to sacrifice yourselves to maintain a greater order. There can be no higher glory than that.”

Celestia’s face glowed from the accolade. “Th-thank you, Sybilla.”

Meanwhile, Luna peeked her head out from behind her sister. Celestia gently tucked her wing around her. “So does that mean you would be willing to help us?” the elder questioned.

“Certainly,” Sybilla agreed before her face grew somber, though her red eyes did not change. “I know of the suffering your world will face if it is not impeded. It is a bleak prospect on a dark horizon; not even the light of the sun and moon can pierce it.”

“So… we won’t be able to stop an oncoming war?”

Sybilla shook her head. “Currently, no. You have more to concern yourselves with than the squabbles of mortal civilizations. Neither the King of Shadows nor the minator Tirek, whom you faced shortly after the war in the Crystal Empire, was the last threat against Order. Others like them will follow, and some are already in your world. In your current state, you are powerless against them.”

Her mysterious red eyes glowed brighter. “However,” she continued, “I would not come to you without hope. You may not possess the strength necessary to protect your world, but with some extra help, perhaps we can come to an agreement.”

“An… an agreement?” Celestia echoed.

Celestia didn’t like Sybilla’s smile; it was too out of practice to feel genuine. “In Elysium, there exist many… spirits, for lack of a better term. They are not like you or I, who watch over aspects of the mortal world; rather, they are the personification of forces that affect the minds of sentient beings. They already reside in this world, fragments in ponies’ hearts, though they can condense into one entity, one spirit. They contain a vast amount of power, power that can rival the highest classes of Elysium.”

By now, Celestia was hanging onto Sybilla’s every word. “I can promise you one thousand years of absolute peace and order,” Sybilla said, her captivating voice growing softer. “In return, my proposal to you is this: allow yourselves to become the vessels of these spirits.”

Then just like that the hypnotizing strings snapped, sending Celestia recoiling backward. Her eyes were pulled into saucers. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, as she drowned in the deafening pounds of blood rushing to her head. Her lips trembled, forming words she couldn’t bring herself to say.

Still, Sybilla continued. “I myself control two spirits: Hamartia, the Purgation of Miasmata; and Constance, the Perpetuation of Order. Coincidently, they work as a pair. Hamartia’s vessel will absorb the negative, discordant feelings of ponies, allowing her heart to become twisted and corrupted. Any bitter feelings of enemies wishing to disrupt your reign will all be removed and transferred to her. Then Constance’s vessel will banish Hamartia’s from the world, and afterward be responsible for maintaining order with fairness and justice. So just as you hoped, you can buy your world a millennium of uninterrupted peace.”

Celestia and Luna could only stand paralyzed. This reaction made perfect sense from a biological perspective: the mind wouldn’t have to worry about the body and instead focus solely on the problem at hoof. The body made sense. Sybilla’s proposal did not.

Their mouths were agape like frogs trying to catch flies, as if they hoped the words to articulate their feelings would somehow fly into their mouths. Finally, Celestia caught a bite. “So you’re saying one of us is going to have to banish the other?” she cried, tears beginning to well in her eyes. “Th-that’s… just cruel!”

Sybilla’s eyes narrowed. “You came to me seeking answers,” she coldly reminded them, “and now you have heard the only solution I have available to you, the only solution where you can ascertain peace with one hundred percent certainty. It is your choice whether or not you accept. Besides, this is not permanent. The contract only lasts one thousand years; any more negative emotions would kill Hamartia’s vessel. Once that time is up, the banishment will come undone through an alignment of the stars that your mother will arrange, and the spirits’ control over you will recede into your subconscious. Afterwards, it will be your choice if you wish to renew the contract for another thousand years.”

The way she speaks of a thousand years, it’s like it’s so short for her, Celestia marveled. Will it be that way for us as well? Will time pass for us in a dream?

No… no, I don’t think it will. Separation is separation. I’ll be alone for a thousand years. Celestia turned to look at Luna, and her whole body began to tremble. I’ll never be able to see my sister.

“Do you have an answer, Celestia?” Sybilla asked, quiet but firm.

Panic spiked through her veins. How could she choose? How could anypony? Her mind shut down, only to be filled by troubling memories. She remembered the war in all its terrors, and Tirek’s destruction soon after. She dwelled on the happiness of her citizens when she returned, even when she wished to mourn over the death and destruction she had seen. She thought of herself and those sleepless nights of worry, alleviated only by Luna’s soft knock at the door….

Celestia blinked back her tears. “Why are you asking only me?” she demanded, angrier than she had expected. “Why aren’t you asking Luna, too?”

Come to think of it, she hasn’t spoken to Luna at all. She hasn’t even looked at her. Why?

Sybilla blinked twice, which was probably as far as she could go in the way of showing surprise. “Yes of course, child,” she amended, though her maternal tone was strained. She still did not look at Luna. “I merely meant that you would speak for both of you. By all means, discuss it with her.” She turned her head away in what would have been a gesture of privacy if not for her ears still pivoted in their direction.

Celestia immediately rushed to grab Luna’s hoof. “Luna, we can’t do this,” she said, her voice squeaky and high as she struggled to regulate her breathing. “I’m not going to lose you. We’ll figure out another way, without resorting to such drastic measures. We’ll start building up a military, arrange more negotiations… Luna, are you listening to me?”

Luna was staring straight ahead at the Tree of Harmony with a frightening intensity before she dipped her head in a nod. “We have to do it,” she whispered in resigned acceptance. There were no tears in her eyes; they were melted away with a resolve like fire.

“Luna…” Celestia didn’t know how Luna was able to stand so tall and firm. She felt like her own body would crumple from the weight on her heart.

“There’s no other way. We can’t put ponies at risk like this, not we they need us most. It would be irresponsible for us to value our happiness over theirs. Remember why we came here in the first place.”

Celestia closed her eyes at the memory. “We need you to bring order.”

“I know,” Celestia finally acknowledged. “I just wish it didn’t have to be like this. We… we were supposed to be together always.”

Luna reached up and hugged Celestia. “Have courage, my sister,” she whispered. “A thousand years is only a lonely day without your sun. I am willing to wait for the twilight when our paths cross the sky once more. Even if it is for a mere second, I will endure for that moment.”

Celestia squeezed her even tighter. “And to think I’m the older sister,” she laughed despite the tears in her eyes. “Promise you won’t grow up too fast when I’m gone, okay Lulu?”

“Only if you promise not to bury yourself in paperwork or whatever craziness will come over a thousand years,” she said.

“Deal,” Celestia whispered. A fallen tear glowed in the Tree of Harmony’s light.

“Have you made your decision yet?” Sybilla asked, her red eyes glowing eerily. “Will you make a contract with me?”

It was Luna who answered. “Yes, we will.”

Sybilla nodded once. “Contract initiated.”

Two spells, one white and one black, shot from her horn and hit Celestia and Luna squarely in the chest. At once, the sisters felt a sharp pain like an electric jolt course through their bodies. There was a pull on their legs and necks, elongating them to add more than ten inches to their already towering height. Magic swirled over their manes as they changed color, rippling in an ethereal wind. Then in a burst of light that elicited a cry from both sisters, the spells were complete.

“Luna, are you alri—“ The rest of Celestia’s sentence was cut off by a sharp gasp as she turned to see her newly transformed sister.

Her navy blue coat of dusk had changed to the pitch-black of midnight. Her starry mane now whipped around her violently, with none of its formerly gentle flow. She now stood at the same height as Celestia, perfectly eye-to-eye, though Luna’s pupils had turned to slits that along with her newly added fangs kindled terror into the sun princess’ heart. It was like looking at her sister through a distorted mirror: recognizable but so twistedly wrong.

Celestia’s fear was mirrored in her sister’s eyes. “Sister…” Luna breathed, half in awe and half in trepidation.

Then Celestia caught a glimpse of her reflection in one of the Tree of Harmony’s crystalline branches. Her already regal stature had been acutely enhanced, with svelte legs, a lengthened horn, and grandiose wings. Her regular white coat now shone like newfallen snow, which was contrasted with the new colors her mane now accommodated. Sea green, sky blue, and earthy lavender had encroached on her natural pink hue, turning her mane into a rainbow of pastels that flowed in a solar breeze over one of her slitted pink eyes.

Two thoughts sprang to the forefront of Celestia’s mind. I look like Mother, she realized in shock. Then: I wonder if Discord could recognize me now.

“These are previews of what your new forms will be,” Sybilla explained, “once the spirits possess you. During your thousand-year contract, you will remain permanently this way. However, in the years leading up to it, you may choose whether to show or suppress your forms, depending on if you wish to have ponies acclimate themselves to them.”

Have ponies acclimate? Celestia wondered, still stunned by her reflection. It’s going to be a challenge to adjust myself.

“What do you mean, ‘in the years leading up’?” Luna asked. “Why not just change us now?”

With a mighty flap of her wings, Sybilla took to the air, where she hovered in front of the tree’s star-shaped center. “My contract only has the power to prevent future attacks. However, there are already threats that exist in this world, though they still remain unrealized. To vanquish them, you will rely on the Elements of Harmony.”

She gestured to the five multi-colored sparks, currently un-formed jewels, and the six-pointed star. “These will mature into magical artifacts that have the ability to restore harmony to the world. They can keep chaos and evil from getting out of hand, but they are a double-edged sword in that they can just as easily stunt goodness and order. If perfectly orderly beings such as Hamartia and Constance try to utilize them, the Elements could backfire, destroying Order in the mortal world. This is why we will give you a few years to eradicate all present threats using the Elements.”

Sybilla softly touched down on the ground as she continued her explanation. “I will confess, this period will be turbulent for you. The spirits will affect your mood and behavior, and at times briefly control you all together. But all of this will simply help you get used to sharing your body with another spirit. Consider a carriage, for instance. Up until now, you have been in the front, holding the reins and directing your body. By having the spirits temporarily take over, it will prepare you for what it is like to sit in the back seat, able to observe and think but not control. However, when the Elements are being used, I promise that they will retreat, leaving your own soul free to wield Harmony’s power.”

She looked at the two sisters, both wearing stupefied expressions, and she smiled sadly. “Forgive me,” she requested in the closest her monotonous voice came to sincerity. “I know this is a lot of information to load upon you at once.”

Celestia only nodded dazedly in agreement as her mind buzzed, trying to process everything.

“I suppose the only thing left to determine is who will bear Hamartia and who will bear Constance,” Sybilla added nonchalantly.

Celestia’s blood froze. She hadn’t even considered that. To wallow in malevolence or put on airs of benevolence, to destroy a mask of kindness or suffocate behind one. Both were horrible fates, but to ask which was more bearable to live with…

“Give me Hamartia,” Luna requested, staring down Sybilla like a bullfighter.

Celestia gasped in horror. “Luna, why?” she asked her sister, her sweet and innocent sister who didn’t deserve to bear the burden of the world’s hatred and suffering.

Luna squeezed her eyes shut. “Please, Tia, allow me this,” she pleaded, her voice trembling terribly. “I can handle anything the world throws at me. Grief, rage, agony, I don’t care. But I can’t… I can’t banish the pony I love. I don’t have the strength of heart to do that.”

“And you think I do?” Celestia cried. “Lulu, you’re my little sister. I can’t let you suffer like that.”

“Suffering is suffering. There is no better option here. If you want to protect me, Celestia, then keep me from doing something I regret. I’ll trust Elysium, Order, but most of all you to be my conscience. Don’t let the bitterness I’ll carry hurt anypony, even yourself.”

Luna’s grip on her sister’s hoof was almost painful. “Please, no matter what happens to me,” she cried, tears pouring down her face, “I will always, always love you, my sister.”

There was a painful tightness in Celestia’s throat. “And I will love you, Luna, just as I always have.”

“My presence in your world is fading,” Sybilla warned them. “You must make the decision now.”

Celestia nodded. Then to Luna, she said, “The time for me to protect you is past. My sister, we will do this together.”

Sybilla’s horn ignited with a luminous crimson. A roaring gust of wind sprung up from the cave entrance and pulled with it a million shards of a glassy substance, some white and some black. The wind carried them from all four corners of the world, from a small piece of ponies’ hearts. The shards swirled around Sybilla, drawing them towards her like a black hole sucking in light. The amount of raw orderly concentration left the young alicorns feeling like fragile leaves about to be crushed by the wind.

As she stood facing the powers of Order with Luna at her side, Celestia could have lied and said her sister banished all the fear from her heart. But in actuality, Luna’s presence was like the life vest that kept her from drowning in the storm. Anything more would have been weakness, for courage was the strength to raise one’s head above the turbulent waters and cry out above the howling wind in a loud voice:

“Celestia, Virtue of the seventh class of Elysium, offers her body, mind, and soul to serve Constance, Spirit of the Perpetuation of Order!”

“Luna, Virtue of the seventh class of Elysium, offers her body, mind, and soul to serve Hamartia, the Spirit of the Purgation of Miasmata!”

The shards condensed into two shadowy, vaguely pony figures, one black and one white. For a moment the creatures flanked Sybilla, who had just completed her spell, before she raised her hoof and pointed to Celestia and Luna. Then, their bodies mist and eyes fire, they ran at lightning speed to collide with the two sisters.

It felt like being doused in Arctic-cold water when the white spirit ran through Celestia. A chilling numbness flooded her veins, leaving her paralyzed as the mist passed over eyes and effectively blinded her. For an agonizing minute, the world was white, as white as her Comprehension Chamber in Elysium where she had spent her childhood in a state that barely passed for life. She wanted to wipe it away, but she was frozen. Only when the mist diffused through her skin was she able to collapse in a broken heap.

As did Luna, Celestia lay shivering on the forest floor several minutes after the spirit had entered her. Even though the mist had passed, she could still feel a cold clamminess beneath her skin that made her sick. Violent shudders assaulted the sun princess, and not even all the sun’s heat could warm her. It was a coldness like death, Celestia decided, although dying might have been preferable then. She could feel the spirit of Constance literally weighing on top of her heart, a heart that, in a few years, would no longer be able to love.

Celestia curled into a fetal position as she cried. Discord… I’m so, so sorry.

Tears stinging in her eyes, Celestia could just barely make out Sybilla dispersing into tiny particles of light as she prepared to return to Elysium. Just as she was about to be sucked into the Tree of Harmony, the universe in its humorous cruelty left the sisters with a final adieu of irony:

“Contract initiated. Go in peace.”

Comments

[ViperDashie]

You're an amazing writer I'm loving it so far keep up the amazing work

[IsabellaAmoreSirenix]

4682185 Don't worry, there's MUCH more of that to come. Bring a tissue next chapter.

4707070 Thank you so much! It's great to know you're enjoying it, and I hope the next chapters will leave you just as satisfied.